


Mistletoe

by sarahjacobs



Category: Newsies (1992), Newsies - All Media Types, Newsies!: the Musical - Fierstein/Menken
Genre: Christmas, Fluff, Internalized Homophobia, M/M, Period-Typical Homophobia, but david doesn’t celebrate it obv, its gay, kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-10 16:25:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,431
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12915684
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sarahjacobs/pseuds/sarahjacobs
Summary: David loves the “Christmas season” except for one thing.





	Mistletoe

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this in my fourth block  
> enjoy!!

Even though David Jacobs didn't celebrate Christmas, the "Christmas season" was his favorite time of year. He enjoyed how excited the newsies got during this time of year. People were far more generous, sometimes paying more for papers and telling them to "keep it" and some bought two or more papers. David also liked helping the younger newsies set up the Christmas tree Kloppman often bought or helped them buy. The older newsies sometimes saves up money to buy small things for the littler one's to hang on the tree.

Of course it was also a rough time of year. It was extremely cold and most of the newsies didn't have enough for coats or gloves or hats and all the coats, hats and gloves they did have were either too small or worn out. David did, however; help his mom knit a few scarfs for the boys. David had a nice enough coat and hat, at least it kept him warm.

Not only was it too cold, it snowed a lot. While the newsies did sell more papes around Christmas time, some days they sold none. The snow would be too hectic for anyone to get to work or people were smart enough to stay inside; but the newsies were always out selling, whether they sold anything or not.

One thing David absolutely hated about Christmas, though, was all the couples. Everywhere you turned a couple was there, of course there were always couples but around the holidays they seemed to shove it in your face on how lonely you are. Couples were seen bundled up from the warmth, they were seen holding hands, they were getting married and getting engaged. And there was the mistletoe. Mistletoe was everywhere you turned and couples were underneath it almost every 2 seconds. David grew annoyed. He wasn't mad that people were enjoying themselves; he was mad that he couldn't kiss who he would like to under the mistletoe in public. Not only was the relationship illegal, but there wasn't a relationship to begin with.

"Why the long face, Dave?" Jack drawled, tossing an arm around David's shoulders. Which was awkward because David was taller than Jack.

"No reason," David replied. He could hear Jack's teeth chattering from the cold. David immediately felt bad, "Where's the scarf my Ma knit you?"

"Gave it to one of the younger newsies," Jack replies, crossing his arms across his chest. "Needed it more than me, and I know you are trying to make enough but I can't ask ya to do that. Not when it costs money for materials."

David continues walking towards the Lodging House where Les was playing with Sniper and Boots. He doesn't have to turn around to know that Jack was following behind him. David smiled when hearing people sing a few carols, this time he turns to look at Jack. Jack was staring at his feet, kicking a few loose rocks. David paused and waited for Jack to catch up.

"You know I don't mind, right," David asked him, nudging Jack's shoulder with his own. "We have enough money for materials, especially now that my Pa is back at work."

Jack shrugs his shoulders and walks a little bit faster towards the lodging house. David sighs and follows after him.

"Heya Jack! David!" Crutchie called as the two boys entered through the threshold of the bedroom. "Look what Snitch snitched!" Crutchie laughs a bit at his sentence and points to the top of the doorway. David hesitates before looking up at the small plant hanging from the door. David felt a blush spread across his face and down his neck.

"Very funny, guys," Jack laughs and begins walking away.

"Not so fast!" Race says, "It's mistletoe."

"I know what it is," Jack says, "I have eyes!"

He knew the newsies had no problem with relationships that were between two guys and if they did have a problem they never said so. David, at first, had been confused when seeing Blink and Mush hold hands; he just assumed they were extremely close. Perhaps David was just denying the fact that two boys could be in a  
relationship.

Now he had no problem with it, there was no difference. Of course, it was hard to forget everything he had been taught not only by society but by his parents. It had been especially hard coming to terms with the fact that maybe David wanted to be in a relationship with another boy. He had panicked and cried on the fire escape, but Jack sat with him and comforted him. However that didn’t help David much because Jack was the reason he was panicking in the first place.

And of course he was stuck underneath the mistletoe (actually both boys had moved so neither were stuck) with Jack and his face was bright red. Now everyone must’ve known how David liked Jack.

“C’mon Les, the folks are waiting,” David says reaching out a hand for his younger brother.

Les, completely unaware of what had happened, smiled and took his older brothers hand, “Davey, maybe you should take off your coat! You look like a tomato! Surely it’s not that hot inside?”

David didn’t know it was possible for him to be blushing even more. Crutchie began laughing even harder, Finch had to help him sit down.

“Let’s go, Les,” David says refusing to look any of the newsies in the face as they left. He waved a small goodbye.

Les skips ahead of David, occasionally stopping to play with the snow falling on the ground. David was worried when Les returned to David’s side and held his hand.

“David,” Les asked quietly, “Do you like Jack?”

David spluttered before replying, “No! That’s…thats—”

Les glares up at him, “You don’t think it’s gross, do you?” Les stopped and crossed his arms. David forgot that Les hung around the newsies just as much as David did. Les was ten, not stupid, obviously he could tell there was something more between Blink and Mush, Crutchie and Finch and Albert and Elmer.

“No!” David responds, turning to stare at his younger brother, “It’s…complicated.”

“How?” Les asked innocently. David doesn’t answer him, he continues walking home.

—

David was about ready for bed when he heard the small tap outside his window. David reached over and lit a candle so he could see. David smiled when seeing Jack standing there with his hands behind his back. David grabs his coat and steps outside, making sure to close the window (but leave it unlocked) behind him.

“Jack?” David ask him, handing his coat to him. Jack stares at it. “Take it.”

Jack takes it reluctantly and puts it on. David grins at how it was bigger on Jack then it was on himself.

“Thanks, Dave,” Jack says.

“Welcome,” David replies, taking a hesitant step closer to the shorter boy. David reached out and began buttoning the coat. In the street lights David could see a faint blush on Jack’s cheeks, David was sure he looked the same. He stood there a few moments before taking a step back.

David watched in confusion as Jack cursed and lifted up the coat to dig in his pants pockets. “Jack?” David asked. The shorter boy looked up at him a large blush on his face.

“I was going—” Jack stopped abruptly, “Uh…okay so.”

David waits patiently as Jack fiddled with whatever it was in his pocket.

“Remember at the Lodging House,” Jack begins, “When the, uh, mistletoe. The mistletoe Crutchie and then hung up.”

David nods and crosses his arms, trying to warm himself.

“Well, uh, okay…so,” Jack slowly held up the small plant over his head. David blushed even more. “You know what, this is stupid…” Jack mumbles after a few moments, placing the plant back in his pocket. “I like you, Dave, a lot. And I know you’re scared of being, ya know, but—”

David leaned forward quickly and pulled Jack into a hug.

“Uh, is this a good thing or a ‘Sorry Jack’ thing,” He asked slowly pulling away from the hug.

“Good thing,” David says quietly, “But we have to be careful, Jack.”

“Okay,” Jack agrees, “So about that…”

David grins and kisses Jack quickly, scared that someone would see them. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” David whispers, his face still close to Jack’s.

“See you tomorrow,” Jack whispers, leaning forward to still another kiss before leaving.

David grinned as he watched Jack leave. He brought a shaky hand to his lips, no longer feeling the cold.


End file.
